Just a Kiss
by the.kindred.spirits
Summary: Emma encounters a certain Lieutenant in the palace library. Lieutenant Duckling fluffiness abound,


Out of its many extravagant rooms and halls, Emma's favorite place in the palace was the library. She'd found a reprieve within its towering walls, an escape from her tedious studies and preparations for running the kingdom in the many books that lined the shelves surrounding her. She runs her fingers along the colorful spines, her mind imagining the stories of faraway realms and exotic adventures that lay behind the covers.

As she picks out a few from the shelves, she suddenly remembers the night she met _him_, the one person she knows that actually lives the adventurous life she could only dream of.

_Dusk is just beginning to fall as the Silver Ball begins, one her parents throw every year to welcome the approaching winter months. Emma smiles at the young man she's just finished a dance with, a prince from a neighboring kingdom who isn't that much older than her. He was nice enough, she concedes, but was entirely too dull and had an incredibly unimpressive sense of humor._

_Turning away from him, she suddenly has the feeling of someone watching her and looks up, her hazel eyes locking with a pair of piercing blue ones. _

_Lieutenant Killian Jones._

_She's heard of him of course, though much of her knowledge came in the form of giggled exclamations from the girls she sometimes spends time with between lessons. Only a year or so her senior, he was second-in-command to his elder brother, Liam, sailing aboard the Jewel of the Realm. The two were regarded as some of the most capable men in the entire Royal Navy. The rumors also claimed that he was incredibly handsome, and she can't deny that she wholeheartedly agrees._

_She feels a jolt of anticipation as he walks toward her, a wide grin on his face. _

"_At last I am able to meet the illustrious Princess," he says, and Emma gasps quietly at the sound of his voice, deep and smooth as velvet. "I must say, I've heard much about you."_

"_I do hope I live up to your expectations." She finds it hard to keep her own voice level, or to keep her eyes steady under his burning gaze._

"_Quite the opposite, actually; you far exceed them." He reaches forward and grabs her hand, pressing his lips softly and slowly against her skin, and Emma worries for a moment that she may faint. "Rumors in no way have done you justice, Miss."_

_She swallows hard, wills her ever-racing heart to slow. "I'm not sure if that is a good or a bad thing, Lieutenant."_

_He steps closer to her, leans in so that his lips are at her ear. She can feel his breath over her skin and she shivers._

"_It is a very good thing, Princess."_

_Emma feels her face begin to redden traitorously, but before she can respond he's moved back, holding his hand out expectantly. She stares at it for a few moments before he laughs, the sound unexpected but delicious in her ears._

"_Would you do me the honor of granting me this dance?" The formality of his words is lost in the amusement of his tone, and Emma can't help but smile._

"_I believe I may have time for one more," she says, laughing as she places her hand in his._

She shakes her head furiously to rid her mind of the memory, causing herself to trip as she walks, the handful of books she has in her hands tumbling to the floor. Cursing under her breath, she bends down to grab them just as one is placed back in her arms.

"Gods, I had no idea the princess was so clumsy."

Emma's head shoots up, her eyes falling on Killian's as he hands the other fallen books to her. How curious it was that he managed to show up just as he assaulted her brain.

"Lieutenant Jones," she mumbles in shock. "I…What are you doing here?"

"Official military business," he says, helping her to an upright position. "At least, that was what my brother and I were discussing until I grew entirely bored of the conversation. After that I decided to sneak off here." He grins, showing his teeth. "I'm flattered you remember me, Princess."

"Of course I remember you," she stammers, her heart skipping a beat. Then she grins as well. "You're quite the rebel, running away from your duties."

"That may be true. But maybe it was fate, seeing as I was able to coincidentally run into you. Forgive me if I'm being forward, but I have missed your company, despite how brief our meeting was."

She quickly looks down at the floor, the books she's holding fortunately hiding both her smile and the flush in her cheeks.

"I find it hard to believe a handsome Navy lieutenant such as yourself would have any trouble finding a much lovelier maiden than me with whom to spend his free time. Contrary to what my title implies, Lieutenant, I'm hardly anything special."

The words have barely left her mouth before she feels something under her chin, lifting her head to meet his gaze as he stares down at her. The books she holds tumble from her grasp, but this time neither of them bothers to pick them up.

"You cannot possibly believe that, Princess," he whispers harshly. "Your beauty far surpasses that of any other woman's in all the realms. You must know that."

Emma opens her mouth to speak, but words are lost to her. Killian's hands slide from her chin to cup her face and Emma knows what is about to happen, what he is about to do, and part of her screams to stop him, but she ignores it as he presses his lips softly against hers.

The kiss is soft at first, gentle, but it doesn't take long before he's pressing her into the bookshelf, his hands sliding down her sides and grabbing her waist tightly. His mouth melds with hers hungrily, and she's surprised to find herself kissing him back with equal fervor, wrapping her arms around his neck. She wonders distantly if this is what her parents felt during those tender moments they shared when they thought she wasn't looking, what the other girls her age had swooned and daydreamed about while she tried not to roll her eyes. Oh, what a fool she had been…

He nips at her bottom lip before trailing down her jaw, drawing a pleasured whimper from her lips that would have been embarrassing if she had been able to think rationally. Her hand slides upwards, her fingers threading in the dark strands of his hair, pulling his face back to hers as he groans in response.

"_Killian!"_

The sound of a loud and obviously _furious _voice snaps them both from their passion-induced frenzy, with Killian very nearly throwing himself away from Emma, his breathing heavy to match hers.

"I… I am sorry, Princess. That was-I had no right to… That was entirely bad form." His eyes were wide, his cheeks flushed, and he covered his mouth with his hand, causing his words to come out muffled and almost unintelligible. If she weren't so stunned, Emma would have laughed at the sight of him so adorably flustered.

"It is quite alright, I, um, I actually enjoyed it." She felt her face flush again at her own words. "But I do believe that was your brother calling for you, and he sounds considerably cross."

"_Killian Jones, when I find you, I swear I am going to throw you into the ocean and let you fend for yourself against the mermaids_!" Liam's voice reached them again, confirming her suspicions.

"Aye, that he does," Killian says, and they laugh in unison. "I'd better go deal with him, though judging by his threat, doing so may well lead me to an early grave."

"You'll be fine. He's your brother and he loves you."

"You've never seen him this angry," he counters.

"That doesn't change the fact that I'm right, and that he will eventually get over it." She takes him by the shoulders, spinning him in the direction of the library's doors and giving him a push. "Go on, then."

"Alright, alright! If the lady insists," he says with a laugh, turning his head to look at her over his shoulder as he heads for the door. "Until next time, Princess."

"Call me Emma," she blurts out before she can stop herself.

He stops in his tracks, slowly turning back to face her with a grin so wide it looked almost painful.

"As you wish, Emma," he says softly.

Then he is gone, leaving her alone in the library to calm her pounding in her chest and to contemplate the mess she's landed herself in.


End file.
